Perianca Stories

A Promise Kept, A Romance Found

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32112067

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13906249/1/A-Promise-kept-A-Romance-found

Somewhere in the Wilderness

"Percy?"

It was Bianca's voice, but why was she coming to speak with him in the dead of night after an exhausting day with a near-death experience for the both of them? Zoe probably wouldn't be all that pleased if she found out, as the 'girl' was still pestering Bianca to join Artemis' Hunt and to make matters worse, Phoebe's watchful eye was always on him, regardless of any action he took.

From those factors alone, Percy was incredibly pleased Bianca had decided to delay her answer, it meant he had a chance in convincing her to stay with Nico along with the rest of the Demigods at Camp Half-Blood.

"Yeah, Bianca?"

His reply was late due to his thinking, as was his sitting up in response to her calling, so much so that the girl had already begun walking away.

"I'm not interrupting your sleep, am I? We could talk in the morning if that's better, I just couldn't sleep after today..." Bianca's voice trailed off softly, no words needed for him to understand what it was the younger girl wanted to discuss.

Percy rubbed the small amount of sleep that'd accumulated in his eyes and gave a welcoming smile as he patted the ground beside him.

"You're not interrupting, I wasn't sleeping all that well either" - Percy grabbed the waterskin beside him, taking a swig and offering it to Bianca who refused while taking the proffered seat - "Anyway, I have a feeling I know what you'd like to discuss. In case you feel the need to do it again too, don't apologise, there's nothing to say sorry for; Nico's lucky to have you as his sister."

Bianca's face coloured at his praise at the same time she began to look away, only this time, she didn't commit to the act, this time, she kept her eyes staring into his rather than shyly breaking contact as she'd done countless times before.

That act alone made him think maybe every effect Artemis' band had on the girl weren't all that bad, but he still didn't want her to leave even if they'd made her more confident in herself. It should be her decision to make with no outside pressure convincing her their way was better, though he knew his way was.

"Thank you, Percy, Grover's always said you were very nice - he almost never stopped talking about you until you joined the quest with us."

Percy's smile grew at her words, the boy bowing comically (or as much as one could while seated) and vowed to sing Grover's praises more so than he already did... only while his friend wasn't present though, he couldn't have the aluminum can-eating pal of his getting too big-headed.

Bianca giggled and slapped him lightly on the shoulder before pulling out the figure they'd escaped with. "Thank you for letting me keep it after we took care of that... thing. I didn't think anyone would let me since it'd been all my fault that yo- that I, that we almost di-. You know what I mean, I can't say it for some stupid reason, I still feel the adrenaline going through me as if I were still there."

He almost reached out an arm to rub the girl's back or give her a one-armed hug, but he wasn't certain they were alone even if the surrounding area was silent. Artemis' hunters may glow somewhat at night, but for all he knew, they may very well have means of camouflaging so well that they'd be invisible to him - it wouldn't be the craziest thing. No, that'd have to be Phoebe's fear of him kidnapping Bianca if they were alone as they were now or Zoe's extreme hatred towards him on account of Gods only know what.

Thus, he stopped himself from doing anything physical in favour of grabbing a snack out of his backpack, a candy bar he'd stowed away during one of their stops, and held it out for her.